


Reunite

by killiuas



Category: One Piece
Genre: Multi, Other, Portgas D. Ace Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 07:41:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29149905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/killiuas/pseuds/killiuas
Summary: Vista softened and felt a large grin slowly stretch it’s way onto his face. Ace was finally reuniting with his little brother. The little brother he very nearly threw his life away for, the little brother he would constantly brag about at any given moment, the little brother whom he had told enough stories about to last a lifetime — the little brother who he had now just punched the living daylights out of. The grin dropped.
Relationships: Fushichou Marco | Phoenix Marco & Portgas D. Ace, Monkey D. Luffy & Mugiwara Kaizoku | Strawhat Pirates, Monkey D. Luffy & Portgas D. Ace, Monkey D. Luffy & Tony Tony Chopper, Mugiwara Kaizoku | Strawhat Pirates & Whitebeard Pirates, Portgas D. Ace & Whitebeard Pirates
Comments: 4
Kudos: 166





	Reunite

The remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates stood huddled around the deck of Whitey Bay’s ship with baited breaths. Marco sighed awaiting Ace’s little brother, _no_ , he mentally corrected, Straw Hat Luffy’s arrival, ( _he had proven that he was a pirate in his own right that day on the battlefield_ ). The commander had last heard that the supernova Trafalgar Law took him aboard his submarine and after much resistance, and an injection shot from one of the nurses, his brother Ace finally relented and begrudgingly came to terms with that fact as well. This brought the pirates to their current position. It was the first time since the war that the two brothers were meeting again and they all felt a bubble of giddy excitement at the prospect. The whirlwind of a boy had left a quite an impression on the ex yonko crew, managing to do so amidst a raging war.

  
Haruta gasped as he saw the telltale flag of the Strawhat Pirates, Marco craned his neck and sure enough there was Straw Hat’s ship. He heard Jozu chuckle at his side because, of course, Straw Hat’s ship was not your traditional pirate ship, in fact it was currently soaring across the stretch of water between them running on what seemed to be... _cola?_ And if his ship was a sight to behold then the captain was no less. The commander watched a long mass of arms, followed by a subsequent crash landing onto Izo with modest amusement. The boy had launched himself head first onto their ship. “Luffy!” came a chorus of cries from his crew but he paid them no heed and leapt off Izo, throwing his head back with a hearty laugh, adjusting his hat. Marco felt a tinge of recognition, his mind flickering back to a man who had died many years before.

  
“Where’s Ace?” the boy asked, _so much for greetings_ , Marco thought to himself and his crew must’ve had similar thoughts as a ginger haired girl tutted and a boy in a suit threw an apologetic look their way. It dawned on the commander then that the Strawhats were relatively young. There was another boy with features that reminded Marco of the sniper from Red Hair’s crew, ( _seriously what was it with this crew?_ ) and one with a scar on his eye and three swords adjusted at his hips, Marco knew Vista would interrogate the kid later.  
  


“Luffy!” a tearful squeak cried and Marco turned to see a reindeer, ( _that apparently talked?_ ), a literal cyborg, Nico Robin, ( _the devil child herself_ ), and a freaking skeleton step onto the deck. Next to him Blamenco held the railing to steel himself from the unparalleled sight. Marco smirked, _of course_. “I told you not to move so much, your injuries are still healing!” the reindeer chastised, his captain ignored the poor thing instead looking around the deck. Marco quirked an eyebrow, it had been around four weeks since the war had ended and, yes, Straw Hat had passed out from exhaustion last he saw him, but just what was the extent of his injuries?

A familiar groan from the left diverted the attention away from Straw Hat and his uncanny crew, as Ace came stumbling onto the deck, rubbing the sleep out his eyes. Vista softened and felt a large grin slowly stretch it’s way onto his face. Ace was finally reuniting with his little brother. The little brother he very nearly threw his life away for, the little brother he would constantly brag about at any given moment, the little brother whom he had told enough stories about to last a lifetime — the little brother who he had now just punched the living daylights out of. The grin dropped.

“You idiot!” Ace yelled and both crews froze in bewilderment at the view. Neither parties were expecting that reaction from Ace, the ever-loving older brother. “Oi...” Usopp whispered, “this isn’t like the Ace we met back in Alabasta.” Zoro nodded in agreement, visible confusion etched on his face. Their captain clutched his forehead, a large bump forming where Ace had hit him.

“Impel Down? _Marineford?_ Are you insane Luffy?” Ace hissed and the younger boy pouted in response, crossing his arms, huffing something under his breath. Robin couldn’t help but liken her captain to a stubborn infant being scolded, and despite the situation felt a peal of fondness rise. Chopper, however, shifted uncomfortably on the balls of his feet, his eyes drawn to the growing bump on Luffy’s forehead.

“Why the hell would you go there?” Ace questioned, his voice visibly strained, the Strawhats cringed at the abrasive language from Ace’s mouth, the sight not anything like the polite, and well mannered Ace that those who had met him spoke of. The Whitebeard Pirates beside them felt a collective pang of sympathy for their youngest, their minds casting back to Ace’s tearful and desperate attempt to turn his little brother away from the war, his plea coursing through the battlefield, his head hung low in shame. Luffy stopped caressing his forehead and looked up at his older brother, his brows knitted together.

“Are you stupid Ace? _You_ were there.”

And Ace felt all the remaining restraint he had slowly crumble away. He knelt down harshly in front of Luffy, choosing to forget where they were and grabbed him by the shoulders, forcing him to look at him. “You could’ve been _killed_ ” he gritted carefully. “Do you honestly think I would’ve been able to live with that Luffy?” he added flatly, the grip on his brother’s shoulders tightening.

“You were going to die” Luffy mumbled, breaking eye contact. He scratched his chin before turning back, his eyes boring into Ace’s with the same intensity that he had displayed back on that battlefield. “You were going to die” he iterated simply, shrugging his shoulders, and Ace’s hands left them completely. “You promised...” he trailed off quietly, the words intended for his older brother’s ears only. Ace bit his lip, frustration building up, tears pricking the sides of his eyes.

“That doesn’t mean you had to get killed as well!” he shouted, voice going shrill. The two crews watched on.

“But I didn’t!” Luffy protested back, his voice rising to match his brother’s.

“But you _could_ have!” Ace countered loudly with finality, he steadied his now quickened breathing as he saw his younger brother flinch. It had been a long time since he had snapped at Luffy like this, Ace remembered when it was a common occurrence, back when it wasn’t just the two of them but three. He swallowed. “I’ve already lost a lot” ( _Sabo, and now Pops, Oars, the list was too long_ ), “if I lost you as well...” Ace stopped himself, digging his nails into his palms. He didn’t want to entertain the thought any further, of losing _Luffy_. Instead he brought a hand to his little brother’s forehead, where a bump from his earlier punch had now fully formed. He smoothed light fingers over the injury and closed his eyes, pulling Luffy closer so that his forehead rested against his own. Their two crews turned their faces away from the intimate moment, not wanting to intrude. Chopper had finally stopped shifting on his feet uncomfortably at Robin’s side.  
  


“Thank you,” Ace whispered and Luffy’s lips turned upwards, cheekily, knowing he had once again successfully melted Ace, he remained unscathed from his wrath for now. “Thank you for saving me,” his brother continued and the younger glowed at the validation and praise he had been constantly seeking ever since he had met Ace, back when everything that came out of his mouth was a taunt or jab. “And thank you for loving me.” Luffy stilled at this, pulling his face back to look at Ace. He guarded him for a beat before shaking his head affectionately, bringing rubbery arms up to wrap around him.

“Ace is so stupid” he complained into the crook of his older brother’s neck, his complaining, although, ceased when he felt a soft kiss press into the crown of his head, Ace had only done that once before, ( _the night he had been attacked by the bear_ ). The moment, however, was over as quickly as it came, and a sting shot through Luffy’s cheeks as Ace stretched them. “Don’t do anything reckless like that. Ever again. Understood?” he warned lowly, letting go of Luffy’s cheeks causing them to snap back, the boy grumbled in turn. Ace finally let out a watery laugh and bumped his nose against Luffy’s forehead, both crews beamed, warm smiles finding all their faces at the view.

  
Marco chuckled to himself before making his way over to the reindeer, who he assumed was Straw Hat’s doctor. Vista followed suit and approached the young boy with the scar and three swords. And as Marco observed the rest of the Whitebeard Pirates scattered around the deck, Haruta oohing and ahing at the cyborg who showed his body off, Jozu deciding to show off his diamond body too, much to the ginger haired girl’s delight, Izo along with Namur engaging in conversation with the skeleton and the boy who looked like Red Hair’s Yasopp, Ace still clinging to Straw Hat’s side as he chatted with the rest of his brother’s crew, a protective arm curled around him, he realised that Pop’s legacy was alive now more than ever. He may have been gone but in his stead Ace, along with his brother ( _ ~~Straw Hat~~ ,_ _Luffy)_ , had continued what Pops’ treasured the most:

_Family_.

They lost a lot of lives in the war, the crew was smaller than Marco had ever seen it, but standing next to Chopper, who indeed was the doctor of the Strawhat Pirates, gazing at the two crews, Marco allowed himself to feel hope. Something he thought he had lost forever when he saw his captain die.

_I think Pops... I think we’ll be alright._

**Author's Note:**

> marco & chopper are best buds btw!


End file.
